Ryan Vogelson and Vanessa Baxter's Reality checks
by Phillipe363
Summary: Fed up with Ryan's inability to pull his own weight for holding down a job after constantly losing them and being a bad example for Boyd Kristen wants him gone. This time forever. Meanwhile Eve has a wake up call for her mother who remains very blind to Ryan's faults while disliking Kyle and his relationship with Mandy for some reason. What happens? Find out.


**Hello guys**

**My first Last Man Standing fan fiction story from the show and is my first time getting around to working in the fandom. LMS has the distinct honor of being the only sitcom I watch.**

**Putting aside the good quaintly writing and actors who I have a hard time thinking of one I dislike, even if I don't always like the character themselves Last Man Standing is for me a last refuge with all these liberal polluted shows, films, comics and such. Especially among the sitcoms for being the only one that makes fun of liberals and PC correctness too.**

**Moving on this one I've been wanting to write Kristen kicking Ryan out of her and Boyd's life for a very long while.**

**While Ryan has had his moments of caring about Boyd and Kristen, along with good things Ryan has done throughout the show, the guy has proved to be quite unreliable and selfish. More than once throughout the show, Ryan has shown he is more than happy to leech off people.**

**It was not until season 7, I could say with any certainty Ryan had held down a successful job. Even in season 6 upon Boyd wanting to return to public school, Ryan reacted with vehemence at the thought of getting a job. I'd understand perfectly if it meant no longer spending time with Boyd, but not taking issue with his having to go back to work.**

**Even Kristen in season 6 expressed displeasure in Ryan's lack of bringing any income.**

**Ryan has repeatedly shown throughout the show he puts his political views above providing for his family, only a crazy person does that, and I don't care what the views are either.**

**Like when he endangered his job by using his truck driving job to post political selfies and drawing a comparison to Mike's vlogs Mike is not putting his job in danger to provide for his family by doing that. If anything, his vlogs are a part of his job for making money.**

**Timeline wise takes place after season 3 episode 12 and goes AU.**

**Second, I thank Stand with Ward and Queen for his help regarding this story**

**On with the show**

* * *

Kristen's apartment in late January of 2014

Having finished putting clothes into a duffle bag Kirsten drops them next to the other near the door while walking back to the counter with fixing herself a glass of water. Taking a zip to help calm her nerves, although normally would fix herself a glass of wine like her mother would, figures it's probably not the best right now. Kristen knows she will have a glass for her misery in quite later.

Seeing the door open out of the corner of her eye Kristen watches as Ryan walks in only stopping upon noticing his duffle bags on the floor before looking up at Kristen as a bit of unsettling realization creeps into his features.

"I want you gone Ryan, and this time don't come walking back into my life years later or whatever. I want you out of my and more importantly, my son's life for good" Kristen says calmly.

"Our son Kris in case you've forgotten that, and all this time you're going to throw me out after everything I've done to prove to you, I'm in. So, no I'm not just going to leave" Ryan says angrily.

Scoffing "Yeah proven what? Your protests have cost you your job because management fires you over it or oh right recently you refused to cave just since your wage demands for the truck driving strike wasn't going how you wanted it to they weren't meeting your demands. Forget about me, you're not a good breadwinner or example for Boyd give you show him perfectly okay to put your political views above putting food on the table" Kristen replies "I agree with some of your views, though a lot of the time I just give in from not having the energy to put up with your ridiculous crap despite disagreeing with them. Only a crazy person puts those views above providing for your family."

"Oh, come on Kristen your starting to sound like your dad. I took the job working for him at minimum wage to provide for you and Boyd on a night shift. How can you not say I haven't changed?" Ryan asks upset.

"Because at the end of the day we both know you're going to quit at Outdoor Man, get fired by either not showing up to work to go protest or start an issue with management. If you haven't already got fired from the job with just not telling me about it" Kristen says, "My first responsibly in life is my son who trumps everything else, including you."

"I actually got called into Ed's office today to be let go since one of my coworkers not caring for my views and decided to be a jerk for making a complaint to HR," Ryan says sheepishly, with some anger.

Shaking her head "That's called being a civilized adult Ryan, workplaces are not for constantly spreading your political beliefs or knowing you how you constantly shove them into other people's faces. It's well within their rights to tell you to get lost" Kristen says.

"You do too" Ryan fires back.

"I have never done that at any job I worked at, and second it's my family members I get into my disagreements with. Not badgering my coworkers given I want to remain employed. You just cost through life only caring usually about yourself" Kristen snaps.

"That's not true. I am so sick of listening to this" Ryan says angrily.

A male voice from behind "Me too. I believe Kristen Baxter asked you to leave so get out of the damn apartment."

Ryan turns seeing Chuck Larabee standing there with his arms folded and a very unhappy expression results in Ryan to gulp in fear. Just from Larabee's build, mood and being a former Marine.

"You know with all due respect Mr. Larabee this does not involve you so if you don't leave the premises, I will be calling the police," Ryan says.

Meeting his gaze unflinchingly "Go ahead, I already have let some of my contacts down at the station know this might turn hostile so if you want to spend the night in jail, by all means, help yourself" Chuck replies coldly.

"Very well, I guess I'll be going," Ryan says.

Picking up his bags Ryan leaves the apartment as Chuck lets him go with turning back to Kristen who sighs in a mix of emotions.

"Thank you for being Mr. Larabee I wasn't sure if Ryan would have listened to me on his own" Kristen says.

"Hey Kristen, it's no problem okay, seriously. Is there anything else you need? Like, have a few of my security guys sit out front of your building for a while?" Chuck asks warmly.

"No, you don't have to do that. I wouldn't want you to go out of your way" Kristen says.

"Seriously it's no problem and this kind of stuff is why I have the security company in the first place," Chuck says.

"No, it's fine, I don't think Ryan is the type of doing anything like that" Kristen replies.

"Okay well if you change your mind just let your dad or me know," Chuck says not telling her he asked a few of his police friends to take extra a patrol around the apartment building tonight just in case. Then adds "Do you want me to give you a ride over to your parents' house? I don't think somebody who just been through that needs to be alone right now."

"Actually Mr. Larabee that would be great, I need to pick Boyd up from over there anyway and I don't even know how I'm going to explain this to him yet" Kristen replies wordily.

"Just tell Boyd the truth, he's a smart and well understanding kid. Boyd can handle it" Chuck says.

"You really think it would be that easy?" Kristen asks uneasily.

"Probably not easy but he will be fine. After all, you have done an amazing job raising him, besides he has not just you but you're your parents, his aunts. Even Carol and me, Boyd will understand" Chuck says.

"Okay, I will just tell Boyd the truth. Thank you" Kristen says.

Chuck merely nods.

* * *

Later at the Baxter house in the kitchen

Eve enters with heading for the fridge intending to get the items to make a quick snack only to see Vanessa is drinking out of a wine glass while standing at the counter.

"So, did you hear about your sister and Ryan breaking up?" Vanessa asks grimly.

Nodding "Yes I've heard, Kristen finally saw the light and stopped wasting her time on that dead beat" Eve replies.

"Oh, come on Eve stop sounding like your father. Ryan cares about Kristen and Boyd, we need to quit undermining their relationship with show some support for our family" Vanessa says.

Rolling her eyes "Ryan is not a part of this family, he's Boyd's father by genetics. Dad's right giving him a hard time because so far Ryan hasn't done much to prove himself, Mandy even told Kristen years ago to not date Ryan. Sure, he says all the right words to get you into weeping mess off a hallmark film but does little to nothing to back it up" Eve says.

"Eve that's not true" Vanessa replies "He's a hard worker, you guys just need to give him a chance."

"We have and he keeps blowing it, mom. Ryan's not a hard worker, he leeches off Kristen while spending more time focusing on his political views in protests! Even when he has a job, he keeps losing it because of that or is just lazy. It says a lot about you don't like me defending myself to put Richey Hadden on the pavement when he attacked me and despite all your constantly talking about how women are so oppressed to be hypocritically annoying when Ryan treats Kristen like crap, yet you constantly give Ryan the shirt off your back" Eve says snapping.

Vanessa sits there is stunned silence but her youngest daughter is not quite done yet.

"Meanwhile for some unknown reason you wanted Mandy to break up with Kyle despite being perfectly happy with a guy, who unlike Ryan actually is a partner to her. I mean don't get me wrong they are a couple of idiots, but they work well together. You wanted to break them up so Mandy could explore her options despite Mandy finally stopped acting like a slut when dating Kyle. Face it for all your talks for men can be whores you've done nothing to curb Mandy's not so great sleeping around behavior, even, knowingly or not, encouraged it by wanting her to explore her options in college. I guess it's only wrong if a guy does it" Eve says pointedly "Back to Kyle do you know why dad despite giving Kyle a hard time a lot, let Kyle come over to this house? Even when he wasn't dating either of my sisters or even tried to hook Kyle up with Mandy originally?"

"No, but I'm sure like you dad you're going to tell me," Vanessa says somewhat unhappily.

"Because Kyle is a good honest person, cares about others and has a strong work ethic. I know this hard for dad to admit, heck this hard for me to admit on liking to spend time with others but I have my suspicions dad actually likes spending time with Kyle. Dad even told Ed off when Ed was taking advantage of Kyle by having him pay for everything and was none too pleased when Ed tried to pay Kyle back with a stupid saddle. Dad immediately gave Kyle the few hundred-dollar bills keeps around for emergency purposes and had accounting transfer some of his own pay into Kyle's account so he could get back on his feet" Eve replies.

Vanessa sits there again in silence.

"Now which between the two should you have been supporting? I would say Kyle but you chose to throw your support behind a lazy bum who has done nothing except leech off the Baxter family, including getting you to constantly cook him his meals anytime he's over" Eve says "Face it mom we are all better off without Ryan in our lives, Kristen and Boyd without a doubt. Ryan's not this redeeming hero you think he is."

Having her piece said and suddenly no longer so hungry Eve turns around leaving the kitchen letting her mother think over some things.

* * *

Eventually, Kristen upon moving past from her relationship with Ryan would start dating again with deciding to act on her attraction to John Baker who returned feelings of his own, which kept getting stronger for each other. Eventually, the two decided to marry and Kristen a handful of years later gave birth to a baby girl.

For Kristen, she never had to worry about John not pulling his own weight or her carrying the whole load like she had a feeling even if she married Ryan, there would have been a deep silent resentment build-up that eventually would have exploded years down the road. Because John always pulled his own weight with putting Boyd and her first in his life. Also, Boyd had a far better role model then Ryan was for really fulfilling the meaning of being a father, meaning more than DNA.

While they had disagreements like any couple does Kristen knows they were much stronger for being equal partners as Mike and Vanessa or Mandy and Kyle are.

Looking back for kicking Ryan out that day Kristen has no regrets well just one, she wishes she did it sooner.

* * *

**Hope you all enjoyed this one-shot and let me know what you think in a review if you want.**

**For Kristen saying a lot of times she just gives in to Ryan and doesn't hold all the same views, he does like, for example, look at the episodes where she finds Ryan's anti-Christmas stuff for Boyd playing with the Elf, or Ryan kicking up a fuss over Boyd playing war with other kids. And the episode where Ryan guilt trips Kristen into giving back the gun to Mike despite clearly not agreeing with Ryan's anti-gun views.**

**Onto Kristen and John Baker I enjoyed their interactions together with I think he could have been a good romantic option for Kristen. Also, Kristen wouldn't have to worry about John not pulling his weight like the major issue with Ryan.**

**I don't hate the Ryan/Kristen relationship but at times I do think Kristen could do better.**

**Regarding Vanessa well Eve handled that, which that part was fun to write to.**

**Oh the Mike ripping Ed a new one over not paying Kyle back with giving him cash to get back on his feet and such is my own idea.**

**Until next time**


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